Multiple family therapy with eating disordered adolescents: concepts and preliminary results

Abstract

This paper describes therapeutic work with eating disordered adolescents and their families in a multiple family setting. Theory and practice of the multiple family approach are presented and details of the treatment programme outlined. Preliminary results show that this form of treatment is not only acceptable to patients and their families, but that there are also signi®cant positive changes in the patientss ymptomatology and recovery rates.

The dearth of psychological treatment studies for anorexia nervosa

“…The Drop-out rate at both centers is low. For example, London had no drop-outs in the 14 families that completed treatment , whereas 1 family dropped out of treatment in the cohort of 37 at Dresden (Scholz & Asen, 2001). However, these authors did not specify percentages of patients who demonstrate improvement, nor do they specify their outcome measures.…”

“…This program is quite different from the outpatient family-based treatment in that the sharing of experiences among families and the intensity of the treatment program (meeting together for several consecutive days) make this a unique experience for families. Architects of MFDT argue that an emphasis on helping families find their own solutions is even more apparent than is the case in outpatient family treatment (Asen, Stein, Stevens, McHugh, Greenwood, & Cooklin, 1982;Scholz & Asen, 2001).…”

“…First, CFT, which has been evaluated in all the Maudsley studies, has been included in a manual for future treatment studies and clinical application (Lock, Le Grange, Agras, & Dare, 2001). Second, a more intensive multiple-family format of this family-based treatment has been proposed and is currently under investigation (Asen, 2002;Scholz & Asen, 2001) as an alternative therapeutic approach. Third, the studies reviewed here provide some preliminary indications regarding the treatment dose that might be required for successful outcome.…”

“…One avenue that has been pursued is MFDT. Two groups, one at the Maudsley Hospital and another in Germany (Scholz & Asen, 2001), have taken preliminary steps to develop such an intensive program for adolescents with AN and their families.…”

Family-based treatment of eating disorders

“…Also, a more intensive multiple-family format of the Maudsley approach has been proposed and is currently under investigation as an alternative therapeutic approach. [24][25][26] Further, a trial comparing short-term and longterm family-based treatment in a large sample in the United States was completed recently. This study will provide data on the portability of the Maudsley approach, which is currently not available.…”